The Curtain Call: Are They Crass Or Cultured?

Tel Aviv is insufferably hot and humid in the summer. Unable to waste time smouldering in the sun waiting for the bus or train, we jumped in an air-conned taxi surrounded by pale curtains. At this moment, just before blistering, we rethought the idea of drapery and how it works in automobiles. Sure, curtains were fashionable among rockers in the ‘70s. And back home in Canada, there used to be an old joke about a working class town north of Toronto. Q: How can you tell a person is from Keswick? A: They have more curtains on their pick-up trucks than they do on their living room windows. Full disclosure: we have relatives in Keswick.

But the question of curtains on automobiles remains. In the 40-degree C heat in Tel Aviv, those curtains on the windows of the cab certainly helped keep things cool. And we were wondering, how much do curtains (or tinted windows) help conserve car air-conditioner energy in the summer when you are melting on the pavement and you just can’t live with the fan? Related: Solar Energy Curtains and Window Coverings.